Together
by Curious Rebel
Summary: Armin faints from heat exhaustion during Inspector Shadis' introductory drill. {Set during cadet training. Eren/Armin. Eremin}


_Can I just start off by saying that I LOVE Eremin? Why the hell would you ship them with other people? They're perfect together!_

 _Sorry, rant over. Enjoy!_

* * *

Together

* * *

{ Eren }

"Hey! Mop-top!" I wince, watching a few rows in front, as Instructor Shadis moves towards Armin.

"Sir!" Armin replies, his hand thumping his chest proudly in salute.

"What do they call you, maggot?" The instructor inquires, towering above my child-hood friend.

"Armin Arlert from Shiganshina, Sir!" Armin says, and I feel a slight twang of pride in his un-wavering voice.

"Wow, seriously? Why would your parents curse you with such a dumb name?" Shadis growls. I bite down on my tongue – I love the name Armin. It suits him.

"It was my grand-father's, Sir!"

"Cadet Arlert! Why is a runt like you here?" I bite down further.

"To help humanity over come the Titans!" Armin replies.

"That is delightful to hear! You're going to be a great light snack for 'em!" He shouts back. I quell an angry growl that rises in my throat. Armin's not going to die, not if I have anything to do with it.

"Row three! About face, runt!" He puts a hand on top of Armin's blonde hair, and spins him round.

Then he moves on to Thomas. I sigh, relieved to have Armin out of danger.

There are so many worthy soldiers here; Mikasa, Reiner Braun, Bertholdtl Hoover, Annie Leonhart, Connie Springer, Marco Bodt, Jean Kirstein, Ymir Maxwell, Christa Lenz, and Sasha Braus, too. I grin to myself and face forwards. Armin's going to fit in just fine. I know it.

* * *

An hour later and Insructor Shadis is still moving around us, shouting at cadets and weadling their personal info out. I grit my teeth together, the heat of the sun is beginning to burn. My eyes slip closed, the sound of the Instructor's shouts dimming into the background.

"Hey, you alright kid?" I open my mouth and eyes to answer the un-familiar, low voice, when I realise that no one around me is looking at me. So, who-?

A body a few rows forward moves slightly to face the one next to it, grabbing my attention. Worry needles it's way to the front of my mind as I recognise a mop of blonde hair. Is that guy talking to Armin? I crane my neck around the soldiers in front of me, trying to get a better look. My breath escapes me as the sweep of blonde hair suddenly falls forwards, collapsing against the taller cadet.

"Armin!" I shout, rushing towards them. Mikasa moves after me. Others begin to turn, but nobody moves from their assigned spots. The taller cadet – Heiren, I think – lowers Armin's small frame to the ground, resting his back and head against my chest. I support his arms with my own, staring down at his frazzled expression.

"E-Eren…?"

I can hear Instructor Shadis' heavy footfalls as Mikasa kneels down beside us.

"And what do we have here?" Shadis' voice isn't as loud as it was, but he sounds just as angry.

"Heatstroke, Sir." Mikasa explains, and I manage to drag my gaze from Armin's dazed eyes to gauge Shadis' reaction. He leans down, a shadow falling over his eyes. I feel Armin tremour slightly, but he doesn't shrink back.

"Get to your feet, soldier." The command is calm, in a disobey-me-and-I'll-rip-your-fucking-throat-out kinda way.

"What!?" I almost shout,"Sir! You can't possibly expect-"

"Yes, Sir."

"Armin?"

Armin sits up, then stops for a second, before getting shakily to his feet. It takes him a minute, but he manages to stand to his full height. I push up from the floor, too, standing just behind the now standing cadet. Armin stares hazily back into Shadis' eyes and he's shaking – no doubt from the nausea – but he stands strong. Shadis studies him for a long moment and I reach out when I see Armin beginning to sway again.

"Alright." Shadis says, sounding a bit proud,"Jaeger!"

"Sir!" I salute, ready to take orders, but my eyes stray towards the blonde next to me and I yearn to help him.

"You and Cadet Arlert share a bunk, correct?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Take him to the barracks and make sure he has sufficient rest, understand?"

"Sir!" Then I break from my salute, taking Armin's arm and looping it around my neck. I lean him against me and he smiles, apologetically. I can't help but smile back.

"Listen here, Arlert." Shadis speaks again.

"S-Sir?"

"Get some rest. We wouldn't want a soldier like you going to waste."

Armin stares at him. "Y-Yes, Sir!"

Shadis stands straight, then turns to the rest of the crowd,

"Attention!" The other cadets fall back into line. Armin trembles slightly and rests more of his weight against me.

"C'mon," I haul his body further towards mine," we need to get you back."

We stumble towards the male sleeping quarters and I hear a soldier speak up behind me,

"Why did you do that, Sir? I thought you said anyone who couldn't take the heat had to leave?"

"I said anyone who can't _stand_ the heat had to go. He may have crumbled, but he _stood_ again. That's what makes a good soldier."

* * *

I take Armin's arm from around my neck as I ease him onto the bed,

"Easy, Armin. Here, lie down." He does as he's told, settling down with a muffled groan. I watch him for a moment, still un-easy at how worried I feel. I have always worried for Armin, what with him being bullied back home and all, but lately it feels, different, somehow.

He shifts slightly.

I vaguely remember something from when we were children,

"Hey! 'Member when we were kids and we used to read your grandpa's book, the one about adventuring in the outside world? Didn't that have something about heatstroke?"

Armin makes an unintelligable noise, and I'm not even sure if he can understand me.

"Uh, right. Right, don't panic now, Eren. Armin needs you to stay focused." I murmur, moving towards the window. Jiggling the stiff latch, I throw the window open, letting in a cool breeze.

"Here, Armin." I say, going back and sitting him up," You should take off your shirt. It'll cool you down."

The shirt pulls easily over his head, and I find myself blushing at the sight of his flushed torso.

"Uh, hang on." I mutter, helping him to lay back down. Taking an extra wash-cloth from the shelf near the door, I head out towards the washroom just across the track.

* * *

"Here." I say, softly, pressing the wet cloth against the exposed skin on his chest. He hums gratefully, relaxing more against the bed. His side rests against my leg. I blush some more.

"Feel better?" I ask, happy to have brought him some relief. He just hums again, but he slides closer, pressing fully against me. I smile, it's been a while since Armin has relaxed, he doesn't even seem to relax fully in his sleep anymore. But, right now, as he cools off from heat exhaustion, he seems completely at peace. It's nice that he trusts me enough to relax fully, even with his shirt off.

Just as I move the cloth across his skin again, he tenses, and I notice tears beginning to spill from his eyes.

"A-Armin? What's wrong?"

"Why? Why am I so worthless, Eren? I can't even stand in the sun without collapsing."

My fringe falls over my eyes, clouding my sight of him," Don't say things like that, Armin. You're not worthless. In fact," The pink dust covering my cheeks turns into a crimson smothering," you're worth a lot. Especially to me." There's a pause," You mean a lot to me, Armin. So, don't say things like that, okay?"

"O-Okay." Armin stutters, his own features turning red. He props himself up on his elbow, and my cloth-wielding hand falls from his torso. He smiles at me. It's a soft, sweet smile, one that make his eyes dance beautifully. I drape the cloth around the back of his neck, momentarily feeling his still-warm skin.

I sigh, content, as the breeze whispers through our hair. I watch him, grinning softly to himself. Lost, no doubt, in a world far from this one. A world filled with mountains and forests and seas with salty water. I swear I'll take him one day. I'll take him to see all of the beautiful things outside the walls. And I'll protect him from danger, at any cost.

I sub-consciously reach out to brush the hair from his eyes as it falls forwards, and I find myself unable to pull away. Instead, I cup my hand around his cheek, watching as the blood rises to his face again. His big blue eyes, always so full of honesty and loyalty look back at me, as I slowly begin to move towards him. He mirrors me, our eyelids fluttering closed as I press my lips gently to his. The kiss is indescribably warm, and my heart feels as if it slots into place, like it's never been more at home. Like _I've_ never been more at home.

We pull away from eachother, and Armin's face is flushed once again. A shy smile appears on his oh-so-perfect lips and my breath completely abandons me,

"Armin…," I say, dumb-founded by how amazing he looks in the afternoon light.

A blush presses hard against my cheeks as he pulls me down to lay next to him.

"I'm going to take you to the outside world, Armin." I whisper, playing with his hair. He sighs contentedly," Yeah?" He says, and I know he wants to hear more.

"And I'm going to protect you. I'll be patient, no matter how many times you get heatstroke."

He chuckles softly, and I manoeuvre us until I'm sat with him against me, the pleasant pressure of his back resting against my stomach. I play with his hair some more.

"We'll scale mountains. Swim in lakes. Climb trees. We'll stand and watch the tide come in, just like you always wanted to. We'll take Mikasa, and all the other friends we'll make. I promise."

"We'd be like one big family. And we'll always remember all the other family members we've lost."

"Yeah, we'll be one big family."

"Together?"

"Together."

* * *

 _Literally just realised that this is the first kissing scene I've ever written. I mean actually_ written, _I've imagined plenty._

 _Reviews are deeply appreciated!_

 _Hope you enjoyed!_


End file.
